Device for the elastic mounting of a hydraulic unit in a motor vehicle braking system on a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic unit is elastically supported by means of elastomer elements, through which bolts pass, on two legs of a mounting bracket that extend perpendicular to one another. The leg of the mounting bracket has recesses, open counter to the mounting direction of the unit, for receiving the elastomer element. With clamping means disposed on the bolt, the elastomer element is axially shortened and pressed against both the recess and side faces, located on either side of the recess, of the leg of the mounting bracket. With the shortened elastomer element, a positive and nonpositive engagement with the leg of the mounting bracket is achieved.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 35 USC 371 application of PCT/DE 01/02265 filed onJun. 19, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to an improved resilient mounting device andmore particularly to such a device for elastically mounting a hydraulicunit of a vehicle brake system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

One apparatus of the type with which this invention is concerned isalready known (German Patent Disclosure DE 197 24 177 A1), which has amounting bracket with one rib at the bottom and two legs protruding atright angles from the rib and spaced apart from one another. One bearingshell open at the top is embodied in each of the legs. The rib,conversely, is provided with an upward-oriented bolt. A hydraulic unitof a vehicle brake system is inserted into the mounting bracket fromabove. In the process, the bolt, with the interposition of a bushlikeelastomer element, engages a recess on the underside of the unit. In thebearing shells of the legs, conversely, bushlike elastomer elements arereceived which are secured to two side faces, remote from one another,of the unit by means of screws. For securing the position of the unit inthe mounting bracket, the bearing shells have clips on their open sidefitting over them that are secured with detent engagement to the legs ofthe mounting bracket.

In the engine compartment of the vehicle, the mounting bracket ismounted on the body of the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the invention has the advantage over the prior art thatsolely by deformation of the respective elastomer element, a positiveand nonpositive connection is made between the hydraulic unit and themounting bracket. Separate components for securing the position of theunit are therefore unnecessary.

With one embodiment of the apparatus, a three-point mounting of the unitis created, in which the elastomer elements, received on the second legof the mounting bracket, can be associated with one end face of theunit, which contributes to minimizing the requisite installation spacefor the unit in the vehicle.

Expedient shapes for the elastomer element and the clamping means arealso disclosed.

With one refinement of the invention, a component group is created thatcan be installed and tested separately from the unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in further detailin the ensuing description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1, in a side view, shows an apparatus for elastic mounting of ahydraulic unit of a vehicle brake system by means of a mounting bracket;

FIG. 2 shows a portion of the mounting bracket of a larger scale, seenin the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view on the portion of the mounting bracket, viewed inthe direction of the arrow III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on a larger scale taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.1 through axially braced fastening means of the unit; and

FIG. 5 shows the fastening means of FIG. 4 but as an unbraced componentunit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An apparatus 10, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, for elastic mounting ofa hydraulic unit 11 of a vehicle brake system, not otherwise shown, hasa mounting bracket 12, which as is only suggested schematically in thedrawing is solidly connected to a body of a vehicle. The mountingbracket 12 has two legs 13 and 14, extending perpendicular to oneanother, on which the unit 11 is supported by means of elastomerelements 17 and 18 through which respective bolts 15 and 16 pass. Thebolt 15 located on the underside 19 of the unit 11 is press-fitted overpart of its length into this unit and passes through thehollow-cylindrical elastomer element 17. The latter is snapped into anopening 20, in the form of an oval or elliptical oblong slot, in thefirst leg 13 that extends parallel to the underside 19 of the mountingbracket 12, the mounting bracket being embodied as a shaped sheet-metalpart. Two spaced-apart recesses 21 and 22 are embodied on the second leg14, which protrudes upward from the first leg 13 of the mounting bracket12; these recesses are symmetrical to a plane 23, extendingperpendicular to the plane of this leg 14, in which plane 23 the bolt 15and the oblong slot of the opening 20 extends with its longitudinal axis(FIGS. 2 and 3). The two recesses 21 and 22 have an approximatelycircular outline that is open at the top. In the region of the tworecesses 21, 22, the side faces 24 and 25 of the second leg 14 can beprovided with impressions 26, as schematically indicated in FIG. 2 forthe recess 22. The bolts 16 and elastomer elements 18, of which thereare two each, corresponding to the number of the two recesses 21 and 22,are structurally identical; the ensuing description therefore refers tothe components mounted in both places.

The bolt 16 has a longitudinally fluted press-fit peg 28, with which itis received nonrotatably with a press fit in a receiving bore 29 of theunit 11 (FIG. 4). In a departure from the exemplary embodiment, the peg28 can be provided with a threaded portion, and the bolt 16 can besecured in the unit 11 by means of a screw connection. The press-fit peg28 is adjoined by a larger-diameter plate 30 of the bolt 16, with whichthe bolt is braced axially on an end face 31 of the unit 11 extendingperpendicular to the underside 19. The plate 30 is followed by areduced-diameter portion 32, at which a screw shaft 33 of still furtherreduced diameter begins. The elastomer element 18, a bush 36 with aflange 35, and a nut 36 are received on the bolt 16. These componentsform a component group 37 serving as a fastening means for fastening theunit 11 to the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket; this componentgroup can be preassembled in a form shown in FIG. 5 before being mountedon the unit.

The elastomer element 18 joined to the bolt 16 has two end portions 38,39 of equal diameter, which are joined by a middle portion 40 of smallerdiameter. As a result of this shaping, the hollow-cylindrical element 18has an annular groove 41, extending all the way around, whose diameteris greater by a certain extent at the bottom than the diameter of therespective recess 21 and 22 in the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket12, and whose width is greater than the thickness of the second leg.

In the preassembled state, the elastomer element 18 is received axiallyunbraced on the bolt 16 (FIG. 5). With its one end portion 38, itsurrounds both the portion 32, fittingly engaging its inside crosssection, and the plate 30 of the bolt 16. The bush 34 slipped onto thebolt 16 has the same outer diameter as the portion 32 and passesfittingly through the other end portion 39 of the elastomer element 18.The flange 35 is adapted to the outside diameter of the elastomerelement 18. The bush 34 with the flange 35 and the nut 36 form clampingmeans with which the elastomer element 18 can be axially shortened (FIG.4).

As FIG. 5 clearly shows, the bush 34, adapted fittingly to the axiallength of the portion 39, is spaced apart from the portion 32 thattogether with the plate 30 extends axially over the length of the endportion 38 of the elastomer element 18. The result, in the unbracedstate of the elastomer element 18, is an annular gap 43, associated withthe middle portion 40 and enveloping the screw shaft 33 of the bolt 16,so that in the state during assembly shown in FIG. 5 the elastomerelement 18 yields radially inward in the region of its middle portion40.

For mounting the hydraulic unit 11 on the mounting bracket 12, the bolt15 and two component groups 37, described above in conjunction with FIG.5, and comprising the bolt 16, elastomer element 18, bush 34 with flange35, and nut 36, are joined to the unit 11. The elastomer element 17,associated with the bolt 15 located on the underside of the unit 11, canbe slipped onto the bolt, or it can already be snapped into the opening20 on the first leg 13 of the mounting bracket 12. The unit 11 thuscompleted is lowered onto the mounting bracket 12 in the mountingdirection represented by an arrow 45 in FIG. 1. In the process, the bolt15, which on its free end may have a beadlike thickened portionextending all the way around, engages the inside of the elastomerelement 17 (or, the elastomer element premounted on the bolt passesthrough the opening 20 in the leg 13). At the same time, the respectivecomponent group 37, comprising the bolt 16, elastomer element 18, andclamping means 34, 35, 36, is inserted into the associated recess 21 or22, which is open at the top, counter to the mounting direction. In theprocess, the middle portion 40 on the elastomer element 18 undergoes aradially inward deformation when the funnel-shaped orifice of the recess21 or 22 is overcome. Upon reaching the terminal position of the unit 11on the mounting bracket 12, the deformation of the middle portion 40 ofthe elastomer element 18 is largely undone again because of itsintrinsic elasticity.

Next, the respective nut 36 is tightened, so that the bush 34 with theflange 35 experiences a longitudinal displacement on the screw shaft 33,and the elastomer element 18 experiences a bracing in the axialdirection, along with radial widening and axial shortening. Because ofthe axial shortening, the hydraulic unit 11 is displaced in thedirection of the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket 12. At the sametime, the elastomer element 18 is also displaced inside the opening 20in the direction of its longitudinal axis, but without losing itspositive engagement with the second leg 13 of the mounting bracket 12.

The screwing operation is concluded when the bush 34 strikes the portion32 of the bolt 16. In this state, shown in FIG. 4, the annular gap 43 ofthe elastomer element 18 is completely filled by the portion 32 of thebolt 16 and by the bush 34. The elastomer element 18 is deformed in sucha way that its middle portion 40, which is surrounded over more thanhalf its circumference by the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket 12,engages the inside of the respective recess 21 or 22 with radialpressure. Conversely, the two end portions 38 and 39 of the elastomerelement 18 engage the two side faces 24 and 25 of the second leg 14 withaxial pressure. Because of the axial bracing of the elastomer element18, a connection with the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket 12 byboth nonpositive and positive engagement is thus attained, which acts toreinforce the impression 26. With the leg of the unit 11 on the mountingbracket 12, which in terms of assembly technology can be favorablyachieved, the transmission of interfering vibration of the unit to thevehicle body is largely averted.

The foregoing relates to preferred exemplary embodiments of theinvention, it being understood that other variants and embodimentsthereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, thelatter being defined by the appended claims.

1. An apparatus (10) for elastic mounting of a hydraulic unit (11) of avehicle brake system in a vehicle, comprising: a mounting bracket (12)having first (13) and second (14) legs extending at right angles to oneanother and on which the unit (11) is supported by means of elastomerelements (17, 18) through which bolts (15, 16) pass, the unit (11) beingmountable on the bracket (12) in a direction (45) perpendicular to thefirst leg (13), one of said bolts (15), extending in the mountingdirection (45) of the unit (11) and into the hydraulic unit, beingassociated with the first leg (13), the second leg (14) of the mountingbracket (12) having at least one recess (21, 22), open counter to themounting direction (45), for receiving one of the elastomer element (18)with an axis extending perpendicular to the plane of the second leg(14), said one of the elastomer elements (18) being a hollow-cylindricalelastomer element, a second of said bolts extending through saidhollow-cylindrical elastomer element and into the hydraulic unit, thehollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18) associated with the second leg(14) of the mounting bracket (12) having a reduced-diameter middleportion (40), which is placed in the recess (21, 22) of the second leg(14) of the mounting bracket (12); the middle portion (40) of thehollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18) being embraced over more thanhalf its circumference by the second leg (14) of the mounting bracket(12); the hollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18) associated with thesecond leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12) being both radially widenedand axially shortened by clamping means (34, 35, 36) disposed on thesecond of said bolts (16); and the hollow-cylindrical elastomer element(18) being pressed with its middle portion (40) against the recess (21,22) and with its end portions (38, 39), adjoining the middle portion(40) on either side, against the two side faces (24, 25), defining therecess (21, 22), of the second leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12). 2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two spaced-apart recesses (21, 22) forreceiving the hollow-cylindrical clastomer element (18) are embodied onthe second leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12) and are locatedsymmetrically to a plane (23) in which the first bolt (15) extends. 3.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second of said bolts (16) ispress-fined or screwed into the unit (11) and, adjacent to the unit(11), has a portion (32) which engages the inside cross section of thehollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18) and from which asmaller-diameter screw shaft (33) begins, on which screw shaft a bush(34) with a flange (35) and a nut (36), acting as said clamping means,are received.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the bush (34) engagesthe inside cross section of the hollow-cylindrical elastomer element(18). while the flange (35) is at least approximately equal in diameterto the hollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18).
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein the portion (32) of the second of said bolts (16)adjacent the unit (11) and the bush (34) have a length adapted to theend portions (38, 39) of the hollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18)when the hollow-cylindrical clastomer element is in an unbraced state,and the portion (32) of the second bolt (16) forms a stop for the bush(34).
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second of said bolts(16); the elastomer element (18), with its second end portion (38)slipped onto the portion (32) of the second bolt (16) adjacent the unit(11); the bush (34), the flange (35) engaging the other end portion (39)of the elastomer element (18); and the nut (36), the nut (36) beingscrewed onto the screw shaft (33), form a component group (37).
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastomer element (17) through whichthe first bolt (15) passes is received in an opening (20), made in thefirst leg (13) of the mounting bracket (12), that is shaped at leastapproximately as an oblong slot whose longitudinal axis extendsperpendicular to the plane of the second leg (14) of the mountingbracket (12).